A floating lodge on an island in Alaska's Panhandle is facing criminal charges for feeding bears.

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Associated Press

Story Created:
Oct 1, 2013 at 9:13 AM AKDT

Story Updated:
Oct 1, 2013 at 9:13 AM AKDT

ANCHORAGE- A floating lodge on an island in Alaska's Panhandle is facing criminal charges for feeding bears.

An Alaska Wildlife trooper reported seeing Clover Bay Lodge employees toss salmon to the animals as guests looked on from a nearby skiff. The 12-room lodge floats on an anchored barge off Prince of Wales Island.

The lodge was charged Sept. 12 with feeding game without a permit, a misdemeanor. Angela Morin, the wife of the lodge's operator, declined to comment to the newspaper.

Charging papers say the investigation started in early August when Trooper Jeremy Baum, off-duty and deer hunting on the island, spotted what looked like sport fishing violations by lodge employees. He got permission to conduct a stake-out, and that's when he reported seeing lodge employees feeding salmon carcasses to bears that didn't seem afraid of the humans.

The lodge was also charged with several other misdemeanors including letting fishing clients keep too many halibut and illegally giving 50 to 100 pounds of sport-caught shrimp to guests and paying clients.

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